According to the LAPD, officers were sent to a home in the 5400 block of Brynhurst Ave. based on a report of shots fired.

TMZ reported that Michael Jace was the 911 caller and that he told an operator, "I shot my wife."

Paramedics responded and declared April Jace dead at the scene, police said.

Michael Jace was detained, questioned and then booked on suspicion of murder, according to an LAPD statement.

Motive was said to be "domestic violence."

TMZ says the couple was arguing over money and that Michael Jace, who had filed for bankruptcy protection in 2011, was on the brink of losing the home where the shooting happened.

The children were placed in protective custody, according to City News Service.

The LAPD said its Criminal Gang and Homicide Division was in charge of the investigation.

April Jace worked as a counselor in the financial aid office of La Mirada's Biola University for a little more than a year.

Geoff Marsh, senior director of financial aid, said this in a statement released by the school today:

April's radiant personality brought great energy to the Financial Aid Office. Her love for helping students and families and her great work ethic earned the respect and love of her coworkers. Her smiling face and helpful spirit will be missed by all.

L.A. Weekly staff writer Dennis Romero has worked on staff at several magazines and newspapers, including the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Los Angeles Times, where he participated in Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the L.A. riots. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone online, the Guardian, and, as a young stringer, the New York Times.